As the leader of a company, it’s important to be result-oriented. What does this mean, exactly? Well, the short answer is that being a results-oriented leader means concentrating on what your team can accomplish, not just the tasks they’re doing.
Being results-oriented involves concentrating on achieving clear, measurable goals. It’s a way of thinking and working where employees prioritize the outcomes they want and strive hard to achieve their goals.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to build a results-oriented company culture. We’ll also explore the advantages of being a results-oriented leader. Furthermore, we’ll take a look at how it differs from being a task-focused leader. Let’s get started!
The Results-Oriented Leadership Style
A leader who is “result-oriented” is, oftentimes, driven by tangible goals. This particular approach differs from leaders who prioritize efficient task completion or following set procedures. Result-oriented leaders focus on working with their teams to achieve the company’s common goals.
This leadership style prioritizes reaching business goals over personal interests or strict rules. It usually involves communicating clear objectives with employees, holding team members accountable, and empowering the team to achieve results.
Result-driven leaders are always looking for ways to help their teams succeed. They don’t just focus on processes but also consider different ideas. This helps to ensure success in meeting deadlines and satisfying customers’ needs.
How to Build a Results-Oriented Company Culture
As a business leader, your days are probably filled with handling challenges like managing your employees and dealing with supply chain issues. What matters to your stakeholders, though, is the results your company produces.
They want to see your business grow in sales, gain more market share, serve more clients, and increase profits. Meanwhile, your customers expect you to deliver on time — they want the services they paid for as promised.
No matter if your organization is a for-profit company or a non-profit, its main purpose is to provide a product or service, right? To do this effectively, you need a work environment that focuses on achieving results, not just going through the motions.
To build a results-oriented culture, leaders need to recognize and celebrate their employees when goals are met, set high targets, track progress, and hold employees responsible for their contributions to the results. Let’s break it down below:
Celebrate results
When you celebrate your employees’ achievements, you’re showing them that their work matters and contributes to the company’s goals. Recognizing and praising their efforts is a great way to help your team members understand how their roles affect others. For example, support staff members will be able to see how their work helps salespeople promote the company’s products while manufacturing employees will get a sense of how their output meets customer needs.
Getting the recognition they deserve will also help your team members feel more connected to their colleagues because everyone is working towards the same goals. This sense of connection will help to improve employee engagement since they’ll see that the company values their success.
Make sure to celebrate both individual and team successes. Instead of giving out generic awards, make an effort to offer meaningful recognition to the employees who deserve it. Keep in mind that some employees prefer public praise, while others prefer a simple thank you and a positive performance review.
Set S.M.A.R.T. goals
Leaders often use the S.M.A.R.T. approach (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) when setting goals. This method helps to ensure that the company’s goals are clear, measurable, and focused on the right things. When setting goals with employees, leaders should remember a few key points:
First of all, goals must be realistic. While shooting for major growth and cost reductions is great, your business goals need to be achievable considering the current business environment. It’s important to challenge employees while keeping goals within reach. This will help to maintain employee motivation and confidence.
We’d recommend helping your team members break their big goals into smaller steps. Celebrate each milestone they achieve along the way, and acknowledge the progress they’ve made.
Secondly, metrics are more important than you might think when it comes to measuring results. They offer an objective way to assess employee performance. Regularly tracking metrics is a great way to identify areas that need improvement. It’s also one of the best ways to guide employees back on track if they happen to fall behind.
Many businesses use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor performance against company and employee goals. These indicators can also be used to compare results with competitors or industry standards.
Results-oriented employees find metrics helpful for tracking their progress. You should encourage your team members to develop their KPIs to monitor performance against past results, budgets, and other relevant benchmarks.
Finally, in a results-driven culture, goals should focus on outcomes. Instead of celebrating open orders, recognize achievements like shipments and service delivery. Make sure you have the right data and metrics to evaluate progress towards results-oriented goals.
Hold employees accountable
Leaders must make sure that their employees know what tasks they should focus on, how to do them, and why they matter before holding them accountable for results. Setting your team up for success will involve providing them with the necessary tools and structure to take accountability and ownership of their work.
To achieve this, you must clearly outline the expected results when assigning tasks, openly share the organization’s vision and goals with your employees, provide training and resources for employees so that they can perform their jobs effectively, and build trust by being open, consistent, and supportive.
Accountability begins with leadership and increases when employees can understand the purpose of their tasks. Needless to say, it’s also important that employees receive proper training and support. They need to know that their managers are behind them one hundred percent.
The Benefits of Being a Results-Oriented Leader
At this point, you might be wondering: “What’s so great about being a results-oriented leader, anyway? There are plenty of reasons why you should strive to be a results-oriented leader. Let’s break it down below:
Ensures everyone is on the same page
By setting clear goals and regularly checking your employees’ progress, you can make sure that everyone is moving in the same direction. What does this lead to? A smoother workflow with fewer interruptions, of course! It’s a great way to save time and avoid expensive setbacks.
Helps you reach goals faster
A results-oriented approach not only benefits your career but also helps you achieve your goals more efficiently. With a solid strategy, you can work smarter, and motivate your team to perform at their best. Employees tend to be more purpose-driven in a results-oriented culture, which means they’ll be able to avoid burnout and perform consistently.
Encourages accountability and transparency
Setting measurable goals and holding everyone responsible for reaching them builds accountability and transparency. This creates momentum and will inspire your team members to push themselves.
Makes better use of resources
Results-oriented leaders make better decisions with their available resources and can adapt to changes quickly. Studies show that companies led by such leaders are more effective at utilizing resources.
Promotes communication and collaboration
A focus on results encourages open communication and collaboration among team members. Results-oriented leaders understand the importance of teamwork and strive to create an environment where everyone can contribute effectively.
What is the Difference Between a Result-Oriented Leader and a Task-Oriented Leader?
A leader who focuses on results has specific goals in mind that they’re constantly trying to achieve. In contrast, a task-oriented leader is more concerned with completing specific tasks or actions. Result-oriented leaders prioritize long-term goals and are adaptable in their approach to achieve specific results.
Task-oriented leaders, on the other hand, focus on details and making sure that tasks are done efficiently. They often follow established procedures but may miss out on unconventional solutions. They tend to measure success based on task completion rather than actual outcomes achieved.
In a task-oriented company culture, employees might spend time on tasks that don’t impact their performance. There’s just not enough focus on results. This is why developing a results-oriented company culture is ideal — not only does it make for a more well-rounded workplace, but your employees will be happier, too.
Build and Shape Your Culture With Culture Partners
Are you looking to improve your company culture? If so, you’re in luck! Here at Culture Partners, we’re equipped with the expertise to help business leaders build results-oriented company cultures. From motivating your employees to step up to being a more result-oriented leader, we’ve got your back.
Don’t hesitate to set up a consultation with one of our experienced senior partners. Let’s discuss culture and change management within your industry together!